Prioritize measurable KPIs and infrastructure: throughput (SKUs/hour), order accuracy, dock capacity, IT/EDI integration, and peak scalability. Also assess carrier lanes, proximity to expressways and ports, value-added services (kitting/returns), and SLA penalties to align costs and service levels.

Gifu typically offers lower land and unit rental rates than central Nagoya or Osaka, reducing fixed occupancy and labor costs. Lower rent enables more distributed inventory for shorter delivery windows, but include transportation trade-offs when modeling total landed fulfillment cost.

Focus on Nagoya Port and Chubu Centrair Airport for export gateways and primary ocean/air consolidation. Domestically, secure frequent TL/LTL lanes on Meishin and Tokai-Hokuriku corridors and confirm JR freight service availability for high-volume lanes to reduce inland transit time.

Look for real-time WMS with API/EDI, slotting and labor-management features, barcode/RFID support, returns processing, and visibility dashboards. Facility requirements include scalable racking, cross-dock bays, temperature-controlled zones (if needed), and robust security and backup power.

Model using zone-based transit matrices, account for first- and last-mile carrier schedules, and simulate inventory split scenarios to balance holding cost vs. service level. Use historical lead times on major corridors and run a cost-to-serve analysis to define reorder points and safety stock.